


Why Can't We Be Friends?

by LizzyLovesPink



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Based on historical events, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Declined Empire, Gen, Historically-Accurate Clothing, Imperialism, Nation names used, No Ships Until the Very End, Over-the-Top, Part of an Art-Swap, Poverty, Title is taken from a song
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-07 22:16:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19094179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizzyLovesPink/pseuds/LizzyLovesPink
Summary: In 1866, Prussia decides to unify Germany and humiliates Austria by kicking him out of the German sphere of influence. Now the war is on to see who can rally the most allies in Europe before they go at each other's throats....except...a lot of the other nations seem to think Prussia and Austria's spat is kinda stupid....Also on FanFiction.net





	Why Can't We Be Friends?

**Author's Note:**

> Like it says in the intro to this fic, in the mid-1860's, German nationalism was high because Germany wasn't unified yet; it was just a random group of nations together. They weren't even ruled by one person. A lot of Germans wanted to combine their states together, and who better to combine them but Prussia. However, Prussia thought Austria was too unfit to be the head of this new nation, so it kicked Austria out of the German sphere of influence.
> 
> Naturally, Austria was ticked off at being humiliated yet again by Prussia and declared war on them on June 14th and the war lasted until August 23rd. Despite their best attempts, England refused to ally with them because they didn't want to waste their money on a pointless war, and Russia didn't like how Austria didn't stand by their decision to get into a war with Crimea, so Austria was on its own without any major allies.
> 
> On Prussia's side, France, despite being a best friend of Prussia for years, refused to get involved since they believed Prussia would lose and they didn't want to clean up that mess. However, literally at the very last second, France jumped into the war when Prussia had the upper-hand and acted like they believed Prussia would win the entire time. Prussia also rallied support of Italy, since they promised to give back a piece of them they needed for unification that Austria wouldn't give back. Italy was eventually unified partially due to the events in this war.
> 
> Austria was badly outnumbered from the start. The Austrian Empire, as it was called at the time, had to quiet rebellions in Hungary several years prior, and they had no more money despite all the nations they owned. As a result, they were forced to fight with outdated technology, and Prussia was basically a military monster anyway, so there was little hope of them actually winning.
> 
> As a lot of people know, Prussia won and unified Germany. Austria lost Luxembourg to The Netherlands, who signed a treaty with Prussia to let that happen, and despite remaining extremely close to Austria, Liechtenstein also broke free from their Empire and declared permanent neutrality. Italy also left to become an independent nation. Austria was also forced by Prussia to combine themselves with Hungary, forming the infamous Austro-Hungarian Empire. Prussia also brought cholera to Austria during the war from Eastern Europe, and Austria then gave cholera to Hungary, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland...basically anybody who even breathed near this war. Austria swore revenge on Prussia despite Hungary telling Austria several times it was a terrible idea, and evidently they listened, since Austria left Prussia alone after this.
> 
> Now, the Austro-Hungarian Empire? That's a story for another day... 
> 
> Originally written as part of an art-swap years ago.

In 1866, German nationalism is high, and many people have grown weary of simply living as scattered regions with barely any government, constantly at the mercy of stronger powers. They want-no, need-a strong nation to lead them, bring them into victory, unite them. Unite them under one flag, one rule, one nation. The nation they need is Prussia. And nothing and nobody will stand in his way. Any nation that does, God have mercy on their souls.

########  
"You will never believe what has happened to me!" Austria announced, bursting into the small parlor in his manor representing his current empire. As expected, the few nations sitting in there didn't pay him any attention; didn't even look up. "This affects you as well," He cleared his throat, and finally one of the nations looked up.

"Fine, tell us. What happened? You lose another war? Do we have independence yet?" Czech Republic smirked, looking up from her book.

"I barely lose wars!" Austria started to snap, but recomposed himself. "It recently came to my attention that Prussia wants to unify all the German territories and form them into one major nation, but he kicked me out of the German sphere! The absolute, utter nerve!" He adjusted his glasses, making both Czech Republic and Slovakia snicker at each other behind their books. "He says I am not fit to lead the German nations,"

"In all fairness, Master, I see where he's coming from. Your own empire is crumbling, and you're really poor," Lichtenstein softly pointed out.

"I am just as German as he is!" He took a deep breath. "And it looks as though this may evolve into a war,"

"What does this have to do with us?" Slovakia demanded.

"Well, if Prussia does succeed, then I might lose my empire and everything I've worked for-" He was cut off by everyone in the room cheering, but he simply cleared his throat and continued: "-Will be gone. However, I will not let that happen. I have lots of allies who will gladly help me in a pinch. I will go see them," He left the room, but then remembered his nations and called out to Liechtenstein. "Ready my riding uniform."

"Yes, Master!" The tiny principality eagerly followed after him.

##########  
Meanwhile, just a few nations away, Prussia was also preparing to go talk to his allies, but he carried an aura of confidence around him that Austria didn't. He already knew exactly who to ask, they'd be foolish to turn him down! The only problem was, his guaranteed ally wasn't currently his property, he belonged to Austria. Some good-old-fashioned coaxing would fix that!

After getting dressed into his usual formal white suit with a heavy black jacket over it, he headed over to Austria's manor, which was quite luxurious back in the day but was now lacking certain modernizations, much like a certain other Empire...

Prussia loudly knocked on the oak door, hoping Austria wouldn't answer the door, since he figured he was still pretty steamed about the whole 'getting kicked out of the German sphere of influence' thing. Luckily, he didn't. Even luckier for Prussia, the person who answered the door was the exact person he was seeking.

"Prussia!" Italy smiled, then looked around nervously. "Are you sure you should be here in broad daylight? Also, why are you here?"

"Cute little Italy! I'm here to convince you to be my ally in this potential war with Austria. See-" Prussia started, but didn't get any further before Italy tightly hugged him.

"I'd love to! Only, what's in it for me?" He asked in his cute tone of voice, but Prussia had known him long enough to know he was serious.

"What's not in it for you? If I win, and I will, then Austria will no longer own you. You can finally get your dream of becoming a unified Italy,"

"Really?!" Italy got stars in his eyes imaging it. "I'll be your ally!"

"Great! I knew you would be," Prussia smirked and walked right into the house, not even asking to be let in. "Let's eat dinner!"

Czech Republic was walking by and laughed, flipping her should-long dark brown hair. "Dinner? What are you going to feed him, gourmet pasta?" She continued to laugh. "We're so poor right now, he had to take away our indoor plumbing! Can you believe that?"

"Nonsense! Ignore her, there's still lots of food left for us!" Italy hurriedly reassured Prussia, although it was easy for him to tell Austria's household was failing. Italy's brown pantsuit was hastily stitched together in various places, and his pants barely reached his knees, an obvious sign of overuse. Czech Republic, on the other hand, was wearing a simple white frilly blouse and bell-shaped brown skirt, with a white bow tied in her braid. Her skirt also had several patches on it, and her blouse was clearly the only luxurious thing she had left, as made evident by the giant turquoise brooch at her throat.

"You can join me as well. The more the merrier! Austria will never know what hit him!" Prussia eagerly offered, but his face fell when Czech Republic waved her hand at him.

"I want my independence, but it's not Austria I want it from." She gazed up the stairs, then walked away.

"She doesn't hate Austria as much as she hates the lady of the house," Italy started to explain, sitting Prussia down at the table. "But let's not worry about that!~ Let's see what we have left to eat!~" He threw open several cupboards and soon found some leftover tea and rolls in the icebox. "Look at that," He started to delicately slice open the buns so Prussia could eat them easier, then poured the tea into a chipped mug. "It's still cold. I could put it in the sun to warm it up! This June has been particularly hot,"

"No thanks," Prussia declined and started to slowly eat the rolls, trying not to wince at how...fake they tasted. They obviously weren't made in some exquisite bakery from France or Switzerland or even Ukraine, they were cheaply and hastily produced from some local bakery, using the easiest-to-find ingredients. For how much Austria supposedly saved, you think he could've splurged a bit on some tastier bread.

"Are you going back home after this?" Italy asked in a curious tone, and Prussia smiled at him.

"Not yet. I have a few other allies I have to visit. France for sure, and I'm also going to try and rally Russia to my side. And if not Russia, then I'm sure some of his nations would gladly fight for me." He sipped the tea next. "Now, who's this lady of the house?"

"She's not really the lady of the house, and she's confined to her room for several weeks," Italy started to explain, just before the lady of the house herself arrived into the kitchen, hissing loudly when she saw the sight in front of her.

"What the hell is this?" Hungary loudly demanded, pointing to Prussia. "How could you let him into this house?! I'm going to tell Master!"

"I didn't let him in, he let himself in," Italy tried unsuccessfully.

"Oh, so this is the 'famed' lady of the house." Prussia snorted and finished up his tea. "I was expecting someone with more charm."

"I have more charm in my middle finger than you do in your entire body!" Hungary carried on, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Guys," Italy again tried to interfere, pushing them aside. Hungary instantly brightened.

"Italy! You didn't tell me you were still awake! I thought you would be asleep at this hour!" She pulled him into a tight hug.

"It's four in the afternoon,"

"Want to come into my room and read?" She continued, dragging Italy out of the kitchen. He looked back at Prussia nervously, but the white-haired nation waved him away.

"I know my way around here fairly well, don't worry about me," He smiled at Italy, and Italy smiled back before he was dragged out of the kitchen.

##########

Meanwhile, Austria had gotten dressed in his best brown suit with a matching top-hat, designed for visiting, which was why this suit wasn't as worn as his others. He also took Liechtenstein with him in the hopes her manners would persuade the ally he was attempting to befriend. She was dressed in her only nice outfit; a dark pink striped dress with a big bustle, with a matching pink bonnet with fake flowers on it and a lacy parasol. Her long blonde hair was nicely curled like sausages and were pulled into a bun under her bonnet.

"We are here, England. Please don't tell me you have forgotten about our meeting," Austria knocked politely on England's door, and the other nation finally opened his door.

"Of course I didn't. What a lovely outfit you have on!" He complimented Liechtenstein, who returned his compliment with a smile and curtsy.

"Thank you!"

"Come in, we were just sitting down to tea." England led the two nations into his house, which was eerily silent for such a giant mansion. The only nation the two could see was Seychelles, dressed in a huge white lace dress and laying on the couch, a sickly hue to her face. "Did you not hear me? I said we were just sitting down for tea!" He berated the African island, and she sat up and briefly had a flicker of fire in her eyes, but she quickly calmed it and slowly trudged into the kitchen. England turned back to his guests with a nervous smile. "Don't mind her, let us sit." He offered the two separate chairs, then sat down on the couch.

"Your house is so clean," Liechtenstein randomly complimented. "It's also so big, yet homely. I would never feel lonely here," She hung her head.

Seychelles soon arrived with the tea, wobbling unsteadily on her feet, which were hidden by her flouncy gown. England took the tea tray from her and simply waved her away, and with a glare, she hobbled back into the kitchen. "Now, what were your reasons for coming today?" He asked politely, pouring the two their cups. He also placed a small cake on Liechtenstein's saucer, which she stared at. England noticed this and happily gave her another. "Don't worry, I have plenty to spare. I can splurge!"

Instead of responding right away, Liechtenstein stabbed a tiny piece off her first cake and stared at it; its insides were pink with vanilla frosting. She took a cautious bite, then smiled and tackled the rest of the cake, taking dainty bites. She realized the other two were staring at her, so she pointed to her remaining cake.

"I'm sorry, but I love cake and I haven't had it in a while...Master can't afford it as easily," She explained nicely.

"It is a shame, since I actually enjoy it greatly myself." Austria stated, adjusting his glasses.

"I see. I guess not all empires can be wealthy." England simply shrugged. "Now, again, why did you come here? Surely it wasn't just to pay a social call, was it?"

"I had a simple question for you. Would you like to participate in a war with me against Prussia? If I win, you'd be compensated for your efforts, plus France might join and you'd have the satisfactions of defeating him." Austria explained eagerly as Liechtenstein finished the rest of her cake.

If England considered it, he only pretended to, for only a mere few seconds later, he responded with: "No." He took a sip of his tea.

Austria's face fell, but he instantly regained his composure. "Could you please repeat that? Or perhaps I should repeat my side? If France joins, you get to humiliate him in war again."

"I am not wasting my resources and money on such a pointless war that has nothing to do with me." England elaborated. "I have far more pressing concerns, like colonization in Central Asia. My resources would be much better spent there."

"But you are one of the richest empires! You just said you could afford to splurge!"

"Not on war." England poured himself another cup of tea. "My Eastern neighbor, Russia, has a lot more money than me right now anyhow. Ask him."

A lightbulb, if they were commonplace back then, sprouted out of Austria's head. He instantly stood up and readjusted his brown jacket and smoothed out his short, shiny brown hair. "A marvelous idea. I have no idea why I didn't think of it before. Come along, we have a long trip to make." He pulled Liechtenstein out of the manor, and she happily waved to England.

Once the door had firmly shut and the manor was far behind them, Austria let go of her arm. "Just in case this fails, mind providing me your military?" He whispered.

"I don't have very much, and I am Neutral besides," She gently reminded him.

"At this point, any little bit helps." He then studied her appearance. "If we are going to visit Russia, your appearance must reflect that. You know how his ideals are." He untied the bonnet from under Liechtenstein's chin and led it slide down her back, her glittering hair freed. He then unbuttoned several buttons from her high-necked dress, stopping at her collarbone. "There. Now we should have an easier time convincing him."

############

While Austria and Liechtenstein were trying to rally Russia's support, Prussia was doing that exact same thing in the West, with his best friend he knew wouldn't say no: France.

Since war had already been declared by Austria, although Prussia was positive he didn't have enough support yet to back that up, he had shown up to France's in his dark black military suit with golden epaulets and knee-high leather boots. He looked very much like a proud general, and he would be once that aristocrat met him on the battlefield.

Before Prussia even had the opportunity to knock, the silver door was opened by his little sister, Monaco. She was wearing a lime-green ball gown with white trim and green bows everywhere, and was surprisingly low-cut for a day dress. Perhaps they were going somewhere later?

"How did you know it was me?" Prussia asked, not hiding his surprise. Monaco led him inside and adjusted her glasses.

"I would literally know you from anywhere. Nobody has red eyes and silver hair like you do," She reminded him. "I infer you are here to ask my big brother to join you on your side as your ally in this war against Austria, correct? Follow me then."

"Damn, you're spot-on!" Prussia suddenly praised, and Monaco beamed.

"I try." She led him into the living room, where France was lounging on the couch, dressed in an identical green suit to Monaco's gown, his hair tied back with a silver ribbon. So they were going somewhere later. "You have a visitor, Big Brother."

"France! My best friend! How are you doing?" Prussia grinned and pulled France into a tight hug, and France grinned just as widely back.

"It's always great to see a friend like you!" France then took in Prussia's uniform. "Oh, so I see the rumors are true. You have declared war on Austria,"

"Actually, he declared war on me! And I need some allies. Wanna join me?" He grinned in his cocky way. France had been on his side for almost every war against Austria ever, so of course he'd say yes! There's no way he'd possibly say-!

"No." France shrugged. "You are going to lose this. What's the point of helping you in a war you're going to lose? Austria's better-armed than you,"

"But you've always helped me out! You can't just leave mt out to dry!" Prussia yelled. "We're friends!"

Monaco looked up from the book she was reading.

"We're still friends, I'm just a cautious friend. However, you can go out to dinner with us if you change,"

"No!" Prussia huffed and turned away. "I don't need you, I don't any allies at all! I love being alone way too much!" He promptly stormed out of the house, still mumbling to himself under his breath.

He arrived back at his own place and went out into the stables, saddling up his giant black war horse and trotted him out of the stables. "All I can do is make the best with what I've got. So let's do this!"

############

Meanwhile, at the same time, Austria and Liechtenstein arrived at the Russian Empire from a boat, a pretty dingy boat at that, which made the sailors at the port giggle since most of the boats traveling from England to Russia were luxury cruise liners.

Russia's house was certainly more splendid than England's, being made of gold and having three stories all stacked neatly on top of each other. England's was only two stories and was a pale white, but while his house was filled with the perfumes of many blooming flowers, Russia's house was filled the the perfumes of many blooming...non-flower things.

Liechtenstein promptly covered her mouth. "I am sure it smells much nicer inside?" She smiled weakly.

Austria, however, refused to show how bothered he was on the outside and straightened out his coat again, then his hair, and finally his glasses, then stood up straight and knocked on the door. Instead of someone answering it, however, it simply swung open easily, and the two peeked inside.

"Oh, they must be expecting us!" Liechtenstein smiled and politely stepped into the room, closing her parasol. "Anyone home?"

A plate was thrown in her direction, which she instantly dodged. "Master?" She ran and hid behind Austria. "Maybe they're upset with us..."

"Oh, do not fret. He is not angry with you, he is angry with her," A blonde man in an embroidered blue traditional outfit explained in a formal language, jabbing a thumb in the direction of a black-haired girl chasing after a black-haired man in a mask with more china plates. "My name is Georgia. How may I help you two today?"

"Ummm..." Liechtenstein faltered, but Austria tipped his hat at Georgia.

"Is Russia home? We have some business to discuss with him. Perhaps over some lunch," Austria explained in just-as-formal words, and Georgia nodded eagerly.

"He is upstairs." He pointed at the two-sided grand staircase and returned to his current painting, which was of the sun setting over the Caucasus Mountains.

"Thank you." Austria grabbed Liechtenstein's hand and led her upstairs, the sheer size of the staircase making them both sick. "The way he spends money, it is truly sickening..." He mumbled under his breath.

Upstairs was slightly quieter; it was where all the bedrooms were, after all. "Which bedroom belongs to him?" Liechtenstein questioned, knocking on a nearby one. A dagger suddenly was forced through the door at a great speed, making her yelp.

"FINLAND! STOP THAT!" Someone yelled from inside the room.

"Obviously not in there," Liechtenstein huffed. "And never do that again! You almost hit a lady!"

"He must be in here," Austria stated, pointing to a door that had the current Tzar's coat of arms painted on it, although it was obviously scratched over every time a new Tzar took over. "I wonder who it is this time?"

"Alexander, maybe? Alexander the Third?" Liechtenstein tried, knocking on the bedroom door. "Hello? Russia? Master Austria would like to talk to you!"

Almost immediately, the door was thrown open, and standing in the doorway was Russia himself, dressed in his dark red traditional clothes. "I have visitors! How lovely! Nobody told me I was going to have visitors!" He ushered them inside his expansive bedroom and shut the door. "Let's talk over some tea! And cake! I hope you guys like cakes!" He looked over at a brown-haired man about the same height as him in the room, looking at the bookshelf. "Lithuania!~ Get some tea and cakes for our visitors!"

The man simply scoffed and rolled his eyes, but left the room.

"How'd you know we liked cakes?" Austria asked in shock, not wanting to sit anywhere for fear of ruining the clearly expensive furniture.

"Well we're friends, aren't we? We've fought in many wars together, like your little Austrian Succession," Russia teased him with a smile.

"That is actually what I came here to discuss. I declared war on Prussia, and I need some allies. And I instantly thought of you!"

The man came back into the room carrying a tea tray with a massive three-layer cake on it. "Kyrgyzstan just made this cake...she said it was for you," He explained, motioning to it. It was covered in white whipped frosting and strawberries. He then left the room again.

"Oh, you want me to be your ally, hm?" Russia slowly cut several pieces of cake for them; large pieces. Austria simply stared at his in disdain, already calculating how much money such a big cake cost them, and if it was homemade, how much all those ingredients costed.

Liechtenstein, however, dug right in, taking dainty bites. "It tastes like honey!"

"Kyrgyzstan loves her honey. 'Land of milk and honey', she calls herself," Russia scoffed slightly.

"Yes, I would love for you to be my ally. I currently am greatly outnumbered by Prussia's forces, so any little bit helps," Austria explained, taking a sip of the tea instead.

"No." Russia's face remained friendly, but there was a deadly intent in his eyes.

"Wait, what?"

"You heard me. No."

"And why not? You just said we were friends,"

"Friends, yes, but I do not like you enough to help you out in a war. You refused to help me in Crimea, so I will repay such behavior by not helping you here,"

"Well that was a pointless war,"

"And so is this. Have a nice day!" Russia smiled and eyed Liechtenstein's outfit for seemingly the first time that day. "So fashionable!" She blushed and buttoned up some of her buttons.

"Fine, have it your way! I still have plenty of my own nations willing to fight for me!" Austria slammed down his tea cup, forgetting his composure for once.

"And you think they will support you after you brutally shut down their rebellions and refuse to splurge on them? You have money, spend it! My nations are so much more happier when I spoil them!"

"I have no money," Austria pulled Liechtenstein out of her seat. "We are leaving now. Thank you for your time," He marched her down the hallways, ignoring the confused and curious stares of the other nations he passed. Two could play at that game. He'd just have to make do with what he had. So let it begin.

#############

"And here's what I have!" Austria announced the next day, pulling open the doors to his arsenal. Instantly a thick cloud of dust blew out, making him and Hungary cough. "Prussia won't know what hit him," He walked inside and wheeled out an ancient cannon that looked like it hadn't been used for a hundred years.

"You think you can win against such a developed military nation with your old equipment?" Hungary asked in a worried tone.

"I know I can. Besides, Prussia had it coming when he humiliated me by kicking me ut of his perfect German state. He'll pay for humiliating me,"

"He humiliates you every other month though," Hungary couldn't help but to tease, but Austria stared at her. "Then I'm going with you."

"Your army isn't big enough to stand up to Prussia!"

"But together, it is! Plus you ave the armies of places like Czech Republic and Liechtenstein. We'll be enough," She held his hands tightly, and he smiled slightly.

"Alright. But we're using my equipment. I bet this thing still works just like it used to," He grabbed a match and lit the end of the cannon's fuse, which it burned through far too quickly and released a giant cannonball right onto the manor's front porch, blasting a giant hole in it. The porch's swing collapsed in on itself, and so did the awning.

"I don't remember it doing that!" Hungary cried. Czech Republic stuck her head out of a second-story window, saw the destruction, and promptly pointed at Austria and started laughing again.

"How rich! We'll be free in now time!" She wiped tears from her eyes.

"Ignore her. You just have to remain confident. So your cannons don't work, but you have other things," She walked over to Austria's stables and showed off his impressive collection of horses. "Horses can be very efficient,"

"Let's do this," Austria said simply, taking out his paint-colored horse and saddling her up. "Here's to hoping we'll win,"

"Here's to hoping nothing bad happens," Hungary winced.

###############

The scorching sun of August was felt everywhere in Europe, particularly those who weren't used to its searing heat on them all month-long. Central Europe, however, were not out enjoying the sun, especially one nation in particular.

"Why are you so stressed-out? It's bad for your health...honey. Think about that," Hungary gently reminded Austria, her new husband.

"Prussia will pay...he'll pay for this...he'll pay for everything..." Austria muttered under his blanket. Hungary had ordered he not get out of bed for any reason due to having a bad bout of cholera brought from Prussia, who himself had gotten it from Lithuania. Austria then proceeded to spread it unknowingly to everyone in his house through his cooking, and they then spread it to the rest of Europe. Despite this, Austria refused to stay put and was currently sitting in a chair in front of the fireplace, shivering under a blanket.

"How about I make you some tea? That would cheer you up," Hungary offered.

"Could I have some too? I need to stay hydrated on the road," Liechtenstein asked nicely, holding her suitcase in front of her. "It was fun, Master, but I have to become my own nation now. I have declared permanent Neutrality, much like my neighbor Switzerland." Austria seemed to flinch at that name, but Liechtenstein chalked it up to his stomach and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "But we can still be friends, okay? Let's still be friends,"

"I'd like that," Austria smiled a weak smile.

"Congratulations on your marriage," She smiled back. "I wish you two many years of happiness together!"

"Here's your tea," Hungary gave Liechtenstein a small mug of tea to take with her, then gave Austria his own cup. "Luxembourg left earlier this morning...but we still have Czech Republic and Slovakia,"

"I don't care what I have, I only care what I lost," Austria gently sipped his tea.

"Well I'll be in my room if you need anything," She twirled her wedding ring around her finger and went upstairs. Austria had gained a small bit of money from combining the two nations, so Hungary was dressed in a clean bell-shaped green skirt and frilly white blouse with a real blue opal at her neck, but Austria still discouraged too much spending in case another war cropped up. He stared into the fireplace, sipping his tea, wincing as his stomach churned violently. He wondered what Prussia was doing at that moment, and if he was pleased with his victory. He sincerely hoped he wasn't pleased and that his boss would forbid him from unifying Germany, or something. He knew it was a long shot, but that small, impossible thought cheered him slightly.

He would get his revenge on Prussia for humiliating him yet again. He would.

##############

"Welcome to your new home! Aren't you proud of me?" Prussia boasted, pulling the coat off a small blond-haired boy. He simply shrugged in response.

"It could use more...space. It feels really cluttered," He said in a dull tone, referring to the huge mess of furniture and clothes that Prussia haphazardly placed around the living room.

"Yes, well it's a start. Besides, it's not the mess that you should worry about. You should worry about what you're going to call yourself!" He brought the younger boy over to a floor-length mirror. "Look at you, so young and full of dreams. You could do anything! You should do anything!"

"My name...I think I'll call myself...Germany. That feels right, somehow." The newly-named Germany explained, looking up at Prussia. "But what should I call you?"

"Me? Just call me your big brother!" He laughed. "We're going to grow so close, I just know it!"

"Big brother, huh?" Germany looked skeptically at Prussia's white hair and dark red eyes. "We look nothing alike."

"We don't have to look alike, we just have to feel the spirit of our citizens inside. Do you feel it? The pride of the Germans? It's in my body too. That's how I know we're related," He ruffled Germany's hair. "Now let's go get some dinner, I'm starved!"

"Hey...Big Brother?" Germany asked nervously. "Could you tell me that story again, of how you defeated Austria to create me?" A small smirk formed on his lips.

"I'd love to!"


End file.
